» News » Program » 2016 » NREL Teams With ComEd on Microgrid-Integrated Storage Solution to Get More Solar on
the Grid

NREL Teams With ComEd on Microgrid-Integrated Storage Solution to Get More Solar on
the Grid

February 22, 2016

Effectively integrating large amounts of renewable energy
such as solar photovoltaics (PV) onto the electric grid requires finding ways to
manage the inherent variability of the resource. That's where energy storage
technologies like batteries come in—when integrated into PV systems, storage
can allow solar to power homes and businesses even after the sun sets, or when
clouds go by.

NREL is partnering with utility company Commonwealth Edison
Company (ComEd) on one of the six projects to design and deploy a new solar and
battery storage technology within ComEd's planned microgrid demonstration
project in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood. The team will create a
microgrid-integrated solar-storage technology (MISST) system that will enable
the widespread use of low-cost, flexible, and reliable PV generation, as well
as the use of battery energy storage systems.

This MISST system will address the availability and
variability issues inherent in solar PV technology by using smart inverters for
solar PV/battery storage and working synergistically with other components
within the microgrid community.

NREL will work with Argonne National Laboratory to provide a
full economic analysis of the MISST solution. In addition to the two national
labs, ComEd is working with several other partners to bring MISST technology to
its Bronzeville microgrid demonstration project, including Illinois Institute
of Technology, University of Denver, S&C Electric, and G&W Electric.